Eggplant with Sesame Ponzu Sauce

Today I’m guest posting at A little bit of everything while the author Roxana is back home in Romania. She’s featuring several guest bloggers who were born outside of the US and today is my turn. You probably remember her from the guest post Vegan Green Tea Cookies she shared on Just One Cookbook. She is extraordinary talented with baking and you should definitely check out the delicious Vegan Zucchini Bread she just shared on her blog the other day.

If you are an avid reader of my blog, you probably know there is one category in my website that has only a few entries. Yes, that’s sweets and baking category. Since I can’t share many delicious bread, cookies, or any other nice treats, I hope you find some good recipes in Roxana’s recipes index.

Back to my guest post. Since I don’t have any baking recipe to share at the moment and Roxana is a pescatorian, I decided to feature a vegetarian dish. Eggplant with Sesame Ponzu Sauce is one of my favorite eggplant recipe as it’s very easy to make! The combination of eggplant, shiso leaves, and the ponzu sauce is simply amazing. If you are having a party, you can even prepare this beforehand so you’ll have plenty of time to work on the main course.

Disclosure: Just One Cookbook is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

The eggplant looks delish… but that sesame ponzu sauce!!!!!!!! Oh, it’s calling my name! Incidentally, I went to buy ponzu this weekend… the grocery store had every type of sauce imaginable… EXCEPT ponzu. URG! I ended up making my own dipping sauce… lol! Happy Monday Nami!

Nami, I can’t believe you have just posted one more wonderful recipe with shiso! You know my addiction to shiso… I adore aubergine, have all the ingredients apart from konbucha (which really seems to avoid me since I always forget to buy it when I go to my Japanese shop), so I will make it even today! (I will soon have to add a special category on my blog “Nami’s recipes” )

This looks so delicious! I need to pick up some ponzu sauce. We don’t get the long eggplant in Israel, only the regular and baby ones, but I’m sure they will work as well. My husband isn’t crazy about eggplant but loves them with miso and I bet he would like this too!

This really makes a great appetizer and your presentation makes it look almost too precious to nibble on, Nami. I imagine the tart flavour of ponzu going very well with the eggplants which – if I might say – look a bit naughty.

Heading over to your guest post at Roxana’s blog, Nami. In the meantime, these aubergines look tasty and so different to the Italian version we’re used to. And let me say, you may have less recipes when it comes to baking but when you do one, it’s worth the wait. You did these amazing purin desserts on my blog at http://madaboutmacarons.com/archives/5816 which was a real treat!

Now I have a new idea for what to do with all the Chinese eggplant we have in the garden! I have tried just about every type of preparation, but this Sesame Ponzu sauce sounds delightful. Then again, EVERYTHING on your site looks delicious. My stomach is grumbling at this point!

What a simple eggplant preparation! I love it for this reason, and I need to try it. The ponzu must give it a fresh taste, and the green onion with shiso a little bite. I don’t make eggplant enough but it’s such a wonderful vegetable. Do your kids like it this way?

Nami, this looks wonderful, what a great idea for a party! My daughter is starting to like eggplant too…she loves trying all these new flavors. I’ll have to see if my Korean store has some more sisho leaves! Last time I bought them I used it in my bentos not much else, so good to get more ways to use it.

Hi Nami,
Thank you so much for the wonderful guest post and for your sweet words. I love eggplants and your appetizer sounds delicious. Now … I wish I was back in the States to make some since your photos are sure making me hungry!

Hi Nami-I already commented on Roxana’s blog for the great guest post from you!
Love the way you made the eggplant with the sesame and Ponzu sauce. One more way for me to make eggplant which we love so much!
Lovely recipe, and great guest post!

BTW-You are the winner for the cookbook giveaway! Please send me your address on my e-mail, so I could ship out the book to you by the end of this week…the latest!
Congratulations, so glad you won, and I hope you will like the book:DDD

Honestly I never liked eggplants but recently I added it into my diet to try different dishes that uses it. So far I loved parmigiana and even a simple grilled one, this one will be next on the list, looks like I will love iit

Looks so delicious, Nami! I have the opposite problem…I bake way too many sweets, but rarely any chocolate (since I’m weird and don’t really like it). But anyways, I love both eggplant and ponzu, so this is the perfect combo.

Nami – This looks really good as an appetizer. I love eggplants and ponzu, so this is definitely for me. Did you know you and I both posted an eggplant recipe on the same day? Great minds think alike?? LoL.

Ohhh I am so behind with my blog hopping! And here you are with this gorgeous recipe! I am always looking for different ways to cook eggplant as it is my favourite summer veggie! Very elegant and beautiful presentation too!

Beautiful eggplant presentation and congrats on your awards again!
Do you believe if I tell you that I love eggplants but had once cooked it ONCE only in my whole cooking life!? Bcoz I don’t know how to cook it the way I love it- stir-fry eggplants with spicy dried shrimps.
I must keep a look-out for the ponzu sauce and shiso leaves now. Can’t seems to find shiso leaves here…

I can’t get away from the computer since discovering your wonderful website. I’m searching for a published cookbook that you might be offering for sale, as I find myself printing your delicious recipes and using up a lot of my printer ink! I even salivate at the food photos. Great website! Never heard of Ponzu Sauce before so will have to check my local asian supermarket. Thanks for sharing your recipes. Japanese food is my favorite that I never get enough of. You make it easy to attempt preparing the food. Even your CAPTCHA is easy enough!

I found your blog by accident while looking to purchase some Japanese cookery and china last week (late Feb). Ever since, I’ve been making and replenishing my stock of Sunomono cucumbers and wakame, made 3 batches of salted salmon and right this moment I have some seabass marinating in miso paste in my fridge.

Tonight my husband had a huge smile when I served the eggplant with ponzu sauce. However, I substituted the eggplant with green and yellow zucchini since I have them in my fridge. I roasted the zucchini instead of deep frying. On his tray my husband also found Chawanmushi with shrimps, pickled cucumbers served with rice and salted salmon soaked in ocha for dinner. Needless to say it is simply delish!

Thank you for sharing some really amazing recipes. Looking forward to try more of your recipe.

Hi Lily! Your feedback and comment made me really happy! Thank you so much for trying all these recipes. I’m so happy to hear you’ve been enjoying cooking and eating Japanese food at home. Thank you again for writing!